Subversive Technology: Burma's Struggle for Democracy

Subversive
Technology
ICT in Burma’s
Struggle for Democracy

Wednesday, September 16, 2009 1

Burma’s “Prophet”

http://www.netcharles.com/orwell/

Eric Arthur Blair



George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair



George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair
By: Shepherds Fairey

Burmese Days
Colonial Period
1824-1948
Major ethnic groups

▪
Karen

▪
Karenni

▪
Mon

▪
Shan

▪
Chin

▪
Wa

▪
Arakan

▪
Rohingya

▪
Kachin

▪
Burman


Animal Farm: Burma
“Independence”
1948-1989
1948
Aung San
assasinated
1962
U Nu overthrown,
Ne Win begins
“Burmese Way to
Socialism.”
1988
Student uprising
for democracy

Eric Elofson - http://passivepro.blogspot.com/


Animal Farm: Burma
Animal Farm opened my mind to what kind of government is in
“Independence”
Burma. I can take a lot of parallels in real life with Animal Farm.
1948-1989
(The animals) want to have freedom, but later there is freedom
1948
only for Napoleon. Burma is also like that for the SPDC, the
Aung San
leaders. Before they become leaders, they say all are equal. But
assasinated
after they become leaders they change their minds.
1962
U Nu overthrown,
When you ask ‘Why do you need more education?’ I see a
Ne Win begins
parallel. (In) Animal Farm, the animals, they overthrow the man,
“Burmese Way to
but only a few animals, especially pigs, are educated. The other
Socialism.”
1988
animals (end up) facing the same problems. We are refugee
Student uprising
people, small minority groups. We don’t have an education. So
for democracy
we need education to be aware of this problem.
Kyaw Tway, male, http://passivepro.blogspot.com/
Eric Elofson - age 20, English Immersion Program
Overcoming Obstacles, Creating Opportunities - Section 6, pg 150-154


1984: Myanmar
Population: 60 million
Religions
Buddhist 89%, Christian 4%
(Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic
1%), Muslim 4%, animist 1%,
other 2%

KHRG


1984: Myanmar
KEY INDICATORS
worst best
Religions
GDP per capita, PPP (constant 2000 international $) ........ 1,446 3.50
Life expectancy at birth (years) ............................................. 61 4.19
Literacy rate (% of people age 15+) ..................................... 90 6.00
Human development index (out of 177)............................... 130 3.52
Rule of law other 2%
(out of 208) ...................................................... 202 1.87
Voice and accountability (out of 208) .................................. 208 0.69
Digital opportunity index (out of 180) .................................. 176 1.36
Internet users (% of population) ........................................... 0.1 3.07
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Source (by indicator): IMF 2006; World Bank 2006a, 2006a; UNDP 2006; World Bank 2006c, 2006c; ITU 2006, 2004
OpenNet Initiative, Internet Filtering in Burma in 2005: A Country Study, at http://opennet.net/studies/burma/.

KHRG

from USD0.75 in 2004 and USD0.95–1.50 in straints. As in other areas, however, the state’s
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 8 5

1984: Myanmar
KEY INDICATORS
worst best
Religions
GDP per capita, PPP (constant 2000 international $) ........ 1,446 3.50
Life expectancy at birth (years) ............................................. 61 4.19
Less than 1% mobile phone &
Literacy rate (% of people age 15+) ..................................... 90
Human development index (out of 177)............................... 130
6.00
3.52
Rule of law other 2%
internet market penetration
(out of 208) ...................................................... 202
Voice and accountability (out of 208) .................................. 208
1.87
0.69
Digital opportunity index (out of 180) .................................. 176 1.36
Internet users (% of population) ........................................... 0.1 3.07
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Source (by indicator): IMF 2006; World Bank 2006a, 2006a; UNDP 2006; World Bank 2006c, 2006c; ITU 2006, 2004
OpenNet Initiative, Internet Filtering in Burma in 2005: A Country Study, at http://opennet.net/studies/burma/.

KHRG

from USD0.75 in 2004 and USD0.95–1.50 in straints. As in other areas, however, the state’s
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 8 5

1984: Myanmar

KHRG


1984: Myanmar
In Exile: ~4 million
Sophisticated network of
community based
organizations


1984: Myanmar
In Exile: ~4 million
Sophisticated network of
community based
organizations

KHRG


Overcoming Obstacles,
Creating Opportunities Our Research

Youth Perspectives from the Thai-Burma Border

www.newwordsmedia.com

Youth Perspectives from the Thai-Burma Border


Key ﬁnding
Young Burmese with access to the internet were
more likely to identify themselves as activists

Saffron Revolution www.uscampaignforburma.org

Mobile phones were used by monks and other citizen
journalists to send information to the outside world.

constrained context.
OpenNet Initiative, Pulling the Plug: A Technical Review of the Internet Shutdown in Burma, at http://opennet.net/research/bulletins/013.

Figure 1. Timeline of Events,
Aug. 19, 2007 - Oct. 13, 2007

Saffron Revolution
Internet in Burma

Willfrom Burma are always asking forthat silencing mobiles andand assistance
“People governments learn information as well as requesting for help the
internet are a necessary step in any crackdown?
from [the] outside world but very little of their voices reach the world and most are lost in the endless
state of the government vacuum.” — Burmese blogger

How information travels
Actions are recorded with
mobile phones, uploaded to
ﬂash drives, taken across
borders, uploaded to
servers, sent to trusted
contacts.
Is there a better way?



Burma and its Borders
In Burma the cost of a “normal”
GSM sim card is 2.5 million
kyat.
This equals approximately
$2000 on the black market
conversion rate.
At the ofﬁcial rate this is
approximately $393,400.
A new pre-paid sim costs Dollars Local Currency

between $25 US dollars. Bangladesh
India (Delhi)
4.18
7.77
250
300
Thailand 6.84 200

Use restricted to 1 month China (Yunnan) 14.6 100

Burma 50


Current Situation
Bloggers imprisoned

Increased sophistication from authorities

China’s support

2010 elections


Bangladesh:
Mobile possibilities

• Large populations in
refugee camps
• Stateless population
• Extensive mobile
penetration along border
allows for reporting and
monitoring



India: Challenges and opportunities
• Relative freedom
of expression
• Tech support in
Delhi
• Isolation along
border



China:
Land of the Free?

• Borders Kachin and Shan
States in Burma
• Ruili: largest Chinese city on
border
• Contact with outside world
via China and Chinese
technology
• Relatively more internet “I think, to me, the China
freedom web is totally free.”
- Burmese male activist, 26


Thailand: Increased Opportunities
• In Thailand, internet access
is frequent. There, we found
a correlation between
access to internet and self-
identiﬁcation as an activist
• Since then, internet access
has grown, including
affordable and reliable
GPRS on mobiles


Solutions

http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/whiteafrican/2736565604/


Solutions
Democracy
• Being heard
• Minority rights
• Accountability and
transparency
• Advocacy for change
• Access


Solutions
Democracy Digital Democracy
• Being heard • Empowerment of the
• Minority rights individual
• Accountability and • Fall of hierarchies
transparency • Wider participation
• Advocacy for change • Democratization of
• Access information


Handheld Human Rights
Making human rights accessible and actionable

• Disseminate key information and messages to ﬁeld workers.
• Facilitate communication between groups working on these issues.
• Collect data that can be mapped on the site.
• Rapidly spread news of human rights violations to the international
community and advocacy groups.


Handheld Human Rights


Project Einstein
“Because Einstein was a refugee but could still do great things”

Digital Pen Pals - Photography-based participatory education
program linking American students with refugee youth overseas.


Project Einstein: Digital Pen Pals
Peace
Culture
Let’s Discuss: Happiness
History

USA Ideas Bangladesh
Pictures
Let’s Exchange: Lessons
Culture

Resettled Refugees Photo Books
with American youth Youth in
in US schools Let’s Create: Slideshows refugee camps
Videos

D
2

What you can do:

DIGITAL-DEMOCRACY.ORG / @DIGIDEM

What you can do:
• Donate money
• the economy is hard for everyone but conversion
rates between currencies is currently in US favor
• Donate your skills
• are you a designer, programmer, or have other skills
that you can provide? tell us and help grassroots
organizations make change
• Volunteer
• our parnters are always looking for smart help

DIGITAL-DEMOCRACY.ORG / @DIGIDEM

Mark Belinsky - @mbelinsky Emily Jacobi - @emjacobi
mbelinsky@digital-democracy.org ejacobi@digital-democracy.org


Working with local partners to connect
people through new technologies that
encourage education, communication
and civic participation.

Mark Belinsky - @mbelinsky Emily Jacobi - @emjacobi
mbelinsky@digital-democracy.org ejacobi@digital-democracy.org


Subversive Technology: Burma's Struggle for Democracy

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Subversive Technology: Burma's Struggle for Democracy